Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-21

bbC NQbCuC1b huu dibSE tudb VI
flmy, nebulous ghosts fioated about the
room. To the very credulous appeared
the shades of long-lost friends, who
spoke softly for a minute or 80 and then
faded slowly away. 1t was all very fine,
and the prize was coming closer and
closer to the fleshly hand of the spiritual
Mrs. Wells. All this time the prize-giv-
ing Mr.. Pegrom continued to chuckle
softly unto himself, knowing well that he
was rapidly drawing near 10 royal sport.
AS for skeptical William r. Tice, he felt
That he would have to make great effort
or gen badly left.
One Sunday few weeks ago, Com.
mltteeman Thomas $. T'ice got up and
fired small but pernicious hOmbshell
into the Grand Opera-House meeting. He
said be had taken a steady sight over the
black cabinet against the white wall be-
nlnd 1t, and while watching carefully had
seen the cabinet move when the spirits
came out or went in, just as if Mrs. Wells
were strelling around with them instead
as OF sitting fast in her chair, as the con-
tract stipulated. Then there was pretty
huboub in the meeting, but COMMITTEES
man William r. ice quieted it by saying
from the platform that he had not seen
the cabinet move. just to make certain,
though, he had couple of pieces of tin
painted so as to counterfeit the dark, rich
pattern of Mr.. Newton's beautiful parlor
carpet. These he quietly slipped under
the lower framework of the cabinet, at or
having bent their ends up. There were
small spurs on the tins, which let them
slide one way only. That night after the
performance ne gathered up his pieces Of
tin fully eight inches away from where
they had been put down. This proved to
his satisfaction that the cabinet had been
SII6 a1nnO What m a IL cIidot Whu
Mrs. Wells, when sshe tipped it up to
crawl under the net, float out of the door,
and supernaturally paralyze the specta-
tors. In order to head off this form OF the
sport Mr.. Tice at the next seance jabbed
an awl down through the framework of
the cabinet into the heor. The medium
went into her usual trance, but no spirits
came Of it. She had found the cabinet
lmmoyable and the ghost really couldn't
walk. Presently out come Mrs. Wells, in
much distress. To the spectators she said
she was not in condition, meaning there
by not that soundness of wind and limb TO
which ambitious athletes aspire, but
rather that state of psychic perfection
and absence OF mechanical obstruction
which allows a 160-pound widow to play
spook. By the time of the next seance
Mrs. Wells had discovered the awkward
awl. 1t was easy for her to slip it out of
its fastening, do her ghost acts and re-
place it before the committee got around
to examine things. Her fingers were clos
ing around Pegram's prize.
Last Friday evening was to witness the
final naturalization. II success crowned
the mediums efforts in it the prize was
hers. Committeeman William r. Tice
glided up to the cabinet early in the even
ing with two long screws in his pocket.
Carefully he showed them through the
soft framework OF the structure. They
took hold in the floor and he screwed them
home hard and firm. Then he waited.
The sound of child's voice broke the
silence, and the twelve or fourteen people
who sat around waiting peered anxious y
into the gloom. No spirit came to them
Mr.. William X. Tice smiled little, but
said nothing. Then from the cabinet
came the sound as of some one tap, tap,
tapping. "By George. she's ripping of
the shad-netW said Mr.. Tice to himself.
He found out later he was right. The
faithful in the circle of watchers thought
the noises were only spirit rappings.
Presently a shadowy form glided through
the dark room. 1t tossed rose to skepti-
cal Committeeman Tice and whispered
that 1t was his first wife's spirit. As the
present Mrs. Tice sat close~at hand, the
committeeman felt a certain delicacy
dDUut dehlHR Qu0sbiOuo. LIZ
form entered the cabinet, and directly
another came silently out. A ranchmar
named Sykes recognized 1t as friend Of
his in ghostly shape. 1t, too, disap-
peared, and from the darkness true.
blue sailor boy staggered out with roll
ing gait and all the abandon of the sea in
his manner.
1t is no refrigeration to say that be trip.
ped the light fantistIc in true Cherry III i'll
sailor boy style. After a little he went
away. Then the alleged spirit Of the first
Mrs. Tice reappeared close to the skeptl
cal committeeman.
''Follow me-" it whispered, and led the
way to the cabinet. Mr.. Tice cheerfully
followed. The ghost made movement
as if 1t would kiss him. He lodged neatly
and the shade turned its fair head sadly
and disappeared within the cabinet. As
the ghost was making its way toward the
chair Mr.. Tice dived into the DARK
cabinet and grabbed Mrs. Wells shoes
street dress and sailor boy suit. AT the
same time he shouted to his brother tc
turn up the light. From the circle there
were cries of Don't! Don't! Let the poor
medium alone" but both Of the Tices
were infieXible. The gas was turned up
and there-stood Mrs. Wells where every
one could see her, clad in very scanty
raiment. Sternly the skeptical commit
teeman babe her sit in the chair, from the
seat OF which he first plucked sailors
blue suit and waved it in triumph. he
pointed to where corner OF the shad-nel
had been ripped off the frame. The ex
posture was complete. He said: "The
gentlemen will leave the room and Mrs.
Newton and my. wife will search Mrs
Wells. Examine her thoroughly" he ad
ded to them, "and don't let her take away
her toggery."
The men walked out, and when they
returned Mrs. Wells was gone, bag ana
baggage. The ladies said they hadn't
the heart to use her roughly. She Is now
lying sick at her home under the care of
President henry j. Newton's family
physician. Benjamin Il. Pegram softly
smiles and sees the spirit of his cold, gilt
tering 500 returning to his grasp, and the
society are getting ready to tell one an
other "It's just as / expected